Theremin Exercises 1 Eng PDF

Progressive Exercises
for Theremin
Volume 1 (version 2)
1 © 2008 Progressive Exercises for Theremin, Vol. 1 (version 2, English)
Victor Estrada
http://www.victorestrada.com
theremin@victorestrada.com
Progressive Exercises for Theremin

Volume One
(version 2)
English Translation by Alan D Barbour

Contents
Introduction and Acknowledgments 4

History of the Theremin 5
How does a theremin work? 7
Advice and things to know before you start to study 8
Performance Techniques 1 12
Basic concepts
The right hand
The left hand
Positions of the right hand
Fingering and characteristics of theremin scores 20
Lesson 1 22
Beginning exercises for the right arm and hand
Lesson 2 23
Exercises for the left hand
Lesson 3 25
Movement of the right arm
Lesson 4 27
Changes of positions 1 and 2
Lesson 5 29
Lesson 6 31
Combination of changes between positions 1 and 2, 1 and 3
Lesson 7 33
Sequential changes of positions 1, 2, and 3
Lesson 8 37
Displacements in intervals of seconds and changes of positions 1, 2, and 3
Lesson 9
40
Introduction to fingerings with the thumb as tone limiter
Lesson 10 43
Progressions using thumb fingerings
Other methods on DVD and in print 45
Recommended recordings 46
Credits 50

Introduction and acknowledgments
This book is the first (in its second version) of a series of manuals of exercises, études and repertoire
which will be published little by little and with which I seek to ease the road for all those interested in this
instrument and who wish to study it in a serious and orderly manner. I have also attempted to rationalize
[streamline, systematize] the basic concepts of the theremin to the maximum so that the initiate can succeed
in getting into it without the typical problems of incomprehension that can occur.
This manual is designed as a series of daily exercises to polish and improve performance technique
and combine it with other études and works for theremin. It can serve as a complement, in case one lacks a
teacher, to the DVD methods of Peter Pringle, Lydia Kavina and Pamelia Kurstin* as well as the lessons
of the great Clara Rockmore edited on DVD by Moog Music. From the aforementioned DVD’s we can learn
the positioning and use of the body, arms and hands, which is indispensable to be able to begin these
exercises. It is important to point out that as a practitioner of the Canadian and American schools I have
fingered the exercises according to their principles. The student who fingers according to the Russian school
will have to modify the fingering of all the exercises; all these concepts will be treated throughout the book.
Actually, there are also the impressive methods of Masami Takeuchi and Carolina Eyck, aside from the
beginning method of Clara Rockmore translated into Spanish by Oscar Alberto Garcia, all of which will be
very good to increase our knowledge of the theremin.
I take it as a given that the student has sufficient knowledge of [musical] theory and solfège to
understand the method, and furthermore plays another instrument with which s/he has developed a sense of
tune and rhythm. I have felt that the computer will serve as a great aid to study and have prepared all the
exercises, together with their accompaniments, and archived them in MIDI format. With the help of an
adequate computer application** we can change the tempo, the type of sound, and the key; make loops,
repeat the exercises as we like, or have a metronome synchronized with the accompaniments.
To conclude, I should like to thank Oscar Alberto Garcia and all the “Theremin Hispano” community
for their selfless dedication to the promotion of, and aid to all persons approaching, this complicated
instrument; to Ricard Franch for his collaboration on the method and his magnificent series of articles in the
magazine Digital Music Maker; and above all to Lluis Moreno of publisher “Mas Acoustics & Co.” who
facilitated access to Lydia Kavina and Pamelia Kurstin and without whom... we should not be able to
purchase theremins in our lands!
I hope that this first series of exercises will be of use in perfecting your technique with this fine
instrument.
Victor Estrada
March 2006
Translator’s note
This translation makes no pretense to either academic rigor or literary value, but I hope that it rises to
the level of the functional. My thanks first of all to Victor Estrada for making this book freely available and
granting permission for its translation; furthermore to Brian Robison for editing, particularly the technical
musical terminology; to Thomas Grillo for his encouragement, and last but far from least to Mrs. Maria Huber,
my high school Spanish teacher, who so many years ago gave me the tools necessary for this undertaking.
All errors are mine alone, and if any of them are substantive I sincerely hope to be corrected.
Alan Barbour
February 2008
*At the end of this book is a list of all the DVD’s and books mentioned, and how to acquire them.
**For Apple computers we have the magnificent GarageBand, with which we need only drag the files to the
main window to work with them. For the PC Windows platform and other operating systems there are also
numerous applications.
Important notice:
This method is copyrighted. Although provided free of charge, it is for personal use only and may not be
altered in any way or redistributed without permission of the author.

History of the Theremin
Historical highlights of the instrument
This [drama] in which reality exceeds fiction begins when Lev Sergeievich Termen, a physicist and
musician established in Saint Petersburg/Leningrad and known for his experiments with radio waves,
decided to join his technical knowledge with his passion for music to build a
strange device capable of generating sounds varying according to the distance or
proximity of the human body. As in other great moments of humanity, chance
played a decisive role in producing the spark (literally) in the imagination of
Termen, who years later would change his name to Léon Theremin to honor his
French ancestors, and (why not?) to be more á la page. Working meanwhile with
waves, vibrations and electromagnetic fields in his research laboratory, devoted
among other things to development of electronic alarms, Termen was touching a
metal rod when he received a shock, accompanied by a high-pitched screech.
Instinctively pulling back from the offending rod, Termen noticed that the sound,
although fleeting, had descended in tone, and it occurred to him that the reason
for the acoustic change had been his [change in] proximity to the rod. Actually,
the phenomenon is very similar to the type of interference that is produced when
the hand approaches the antenna of a radio receiver. Paradoxically, in the
preliminary investigations of sound production using interferences and
capacitors this was seen as a problem, since in the experimental prototypes there was no way of regulating
the inadvertent contact of the performer with the apparatus. Stimulated by this chance occurrence, Termen
hit upon the concept of variable interference. Carrying it in a direction that had not occurred to anyone, he
concluded that rather than supposing it to be a problem, the interference caused by the human body could be
used to purposely control a sound generator. Termen’s idea materialized in a presentation of the Therminvox,
also called the “Ætherphone” at an electrical physics convention in 1920. The latter [euphonious] word refers
poetically to “sound from the ether,” because the hands of the player touch nothing but empty space.
The repercussions of this seminal invention might have been passed over, swept aside and buried by
artistic puritans horrified by the unexpected, but that Theremin happened to live and work in the nascent
Soviet Union. In those first years of fury against the old world which the October Revolution had left behind,
ultraprogressive politics carried along an intense will for a breaking-off and change of course throughout
society. Regardless of political considerations, the undeniable fact is that while other countries and cultures
held themselves forth as guardians of traditional culture, in the Soviet Union the cult of modernity was
elevated to the extreme and experimental artists who would have been consigned to the alleys of old Europe
were generously approved, with the objective of forming a new artistic canon that would represent the
revolutionary ideal. On the other hand, omnipresent electricity was the great symbol of soviet scientific
progress, as manifested in Lenin’s famous statement that “Communism is Socialism electrified.” In this
cultural and social climate, the fusion of modern art and science as an expression of the country’s yearning
for a break [with the past] was an ideal that could be optimally embodied in an unheard-of and electrical
instrument such as the Thermenvox, which later would be rebaptized with the gallicized name of its inventor.
Thanks to the efforts of the soviet state in promoting its social and cultural achievements, the world
started to become aware of the new instrument and european musicians saw it as opening the doors to a
completely virgin creative territory. In those years Busoni, Respighi and Ravel knew and admired the
theremin, but Edgard Varèse was the first recognized composer who, slightly later, enthused about this new
sound and wrote music specifically conceived for its characteristics (experimental works for theremin had
already been written, some of them with orchestra, but they had neither [been performed outside] the Soviet
Union nor gone beyond a few performers). Nevertheless, although the first creative fevers were intense in
the avant-garde circles, the results did not bring about a schism in the established artistic world and its
relevance was reduced to the category of anecdote by the skepticism of the cultural elite. When Theremin
himself was nearly in his nineties no one had written truly good works for his invention, for many composers
had fallen back on using it to imitate sounds like that of the violin or cello (or even the human voice), so that
the popular repertoire for theremin has always been dominated by adaptations of works initially written for
other instruments.

Although these tentative beginnings did not bring out all the potential of the theremin, Clara
Rockmore, who met Léon Theremin in New York, soon came to forge a specific technique and raise the
theremin to the level of an authentic musical instrument. Born Clara Reisenberg in 1911 in Vilnius,
Lithuania, this person who would pass into history as the first virtuosa of
the theremin began in music as a child violin prodigy. One of her trips
took her to New York, just in time to cross paths there with Léon
Theremin and take some of the classes that the successful inventor gave
to American high society women. Astonished by the facility with which
Clara caught the trick of the instrument, Theremin flipped over her, and
his devotion to the young violin virtuosa seems to have caused her to
further expand [upon] her musical gifts. Although she said that it caused
her some painful problems, Clara remained in New York and came to be
a part of Theremin’s habitual circle of friends, and given that she was
obliged to give up the violin as a result of bone problems caused by
childhood malnutrition, she put all her musical energy into this new apparatus which she felt was
underutilized. Aided by her perfect pitch and by direct contact with the father of the instrument, Clara
Rockmore dedicated herself to developing a prodigious technique with which she extracted from the theremin
nuances never [before] seen, and at the age of 34 astonished the musical community with her first solo
concert, in which she had a theremin specially designed for the occasion. The importance of Clara
Rockmore lies in her robust expressive focus of the instrument and in an outright rejection of any casual or
nonmusical application. In practice, this posture led her to disdain all the proposals that came to her to
record effects and ghostly sounds that had come to be popular, and which she considered “ugly and
strident,” while she exerted herself to adapt the classical repertoire to the theremin “to show its [ability] to
create beautiful music.” Her philosophy is especially well summarized in some interesting words: “I am a
violinist, and I wish to demonstrate that the theremin can be used to play real music. Bach could not
compose for the theremin, but why can’t I play works of Bach on my instrument?”
Surely the years and years that she had to coexist with the uses made of the instrument, when it was
adopted by Hollywood as a perfect way to create the sinister sound atmosphere of the “horror” movies that
make us laugh today, were no fault of Clara Rockmore’s. In fact, this was the main vehicle by which the
sound of the theremin came to the ears of the greater public of the times. Aside from B movies of the 1940’s,
1950’s, and 1960’s, the theremin came to the great movies by other means that greatly increased its prestige
and which in practice elevated it to the level of a symphonic solo instrument--as in the original 1945 version
of Spellbound, fairly daring for its time. Miklós Rózsa, legendary composer for movie orchestras, used the
timbre of the theremin to accentuate the supernatural aura of a screenplay that penetrates into hypnosis and
the complications of an amnesic mind, and later reformulated his creation as an orchestral work called
Spellbound Concerto. Probably it was the first composition that presented the theremin to a great audience
as a serious instrument, and it was not the last time (incidentally, the Spellbound movie [orchestral score]
won the Oscar [for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture] in 1946).
The person chosen by Hollywood to give voice to american cinema
fantasy was Doctor Samuel Hoffman, who in addition to playing the theremin
was a violinist (this is a good time to point out the detail that both of the great
interpreters of the theremin, at least in this period of discovery and
experimentation, were musicians and played other instruments). From his
hands came many of the extraterrestrial sounds of the many science fiction
productions that invaded the United States cinema with subliminal messages
of paranoia and anticommunist fervor.
Following its period of cinematic “splendor,” in which the theremin
was irrevocably joined to robots and malevolent Martians, the 1960’s brought
the explosion of “pop,” which was a real crossroads for many musicians and
instruments: some hitched themselves to the industry’s wagon to the point of indispensability (electric guitars,
modern drums, Hammond organs) and others fell into absolute oblivion. At the margin of avant-garde circles,
driven by the advent of the first synthesizers and flowering of electronica, the theremin almost completely
disappeared from popular music and was ignored in musical styles which had no place for it. But when the
Moog Etherwave broke [onto the scene] in the 1990’s, many musicians were motivated to use the theremin,
both in the studio and live, conscious of its impact upon a generation little accustomed to this surprising
instrument. In the realm of rock, traditionally removed from electronic extravagances, artists such as Mötley
Crüe, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, and The White Stripes had added it to their live spectacles, and in
alternative pop-rock, in principle more receptive to this genre of instruments, the theremin has been adopted
among others by Blur, The Flaming Lips, Portishead, Beck, Elvis Costello, and Massive Attack.
Nevertheless, those who merit special recognition are the musicians who are working to convert the
theremin into a true solo instrument, away from pure effects and [the realm of] anecdote. Without doubt, the
great force of expansion for the theremin is the Russian Lydia Kavina, who carries it in her genes, given that
she is the grand-niece [first cousin twice removed] of the very same Léon Theremin. With a life completely
dedicated to the instrument and considered almost universally as the greatest modern virtuosa, Lydia gives
classes in Moscow’s Theremin Center and travels throughout the world to carry her sound to an ever larger
public. In a less orthodox sphere is Pamelia Kurstin, to whom Clara Rockmore said “You have the gift; you
will be my successor.” In fact, she is the only one who has dared to establish the theremin for jazz walking
bass lines, opening a way that had not occurred to anyone [else]. One must also name the Canadian Peter
Pringle, a versatile multi-style interpreter who has pulled out of his sleeve a technique of body posture far
from the hieratism imposed by Clara Rockmore. Another interpreter of the first level is the German Barbara
Buchholz, a protégé of Lydia Kavina and a specialist in contemporary music characterized by elegant
electronic textures. Also in Europe, in Holland Wilco Botermans is investigating the possibilities of the
theremin as a controller, and the young Carolina Eyck (also a violinist and an alumna of Lydia Kavina)
couples her theremin with orchestras as well as modern groups. On the other side of the world, the Japanese
Masami Takeuchi has established himself as the unquestioned authority in his country, in which the theremin
is very popular, and aside from his musical work acts as didactic link with the teachings of Lydia Kavina in
Russia.
Ricard Franch
How does a theremin work?
In essence, a theremin consists of a circuit box from which two antennas extend, one vertical and the
other a horizontal one in the form of a loop. From [the time of] its invention to now, leaving aside the
possibilities of tone control, register, octaves, timbre, MIDI functions and other paraphernalia that have been
added over the years, the instrument still functions [in] more or less the same [way]. The case contains two
linked radio frequency circuits which produce high frequency oscillations. One of the two circuits is fixed [in
frequency], and the vertical antenna, which detects the proximity of the hand, determines the frequency of the
other circuit. The result, [rendered] audible by an amplifier, is the wave created by the difference between the
two circuits, the fixed and the variable.
Without entering into excessively technical details, the plainest way to explain how a right handed
person plays a theremin is to say that the right (vertical) antenna controls the pitch, thus the note that sounds,
and the left (horizontal) [antenna] adjusts the volume. In this way the frequency and amplitude, which are the
two essential physical parameters for the musical manipulation of a monophonic sound, are controlled by the
movement of the hands in the air about the antennae. Actually, be it the hands or anything else, the antenna
detects all movement within its active radius, without distinguishing which part of the body is used. In the
standard position, the artist situates him- or herself at approximately arm’s length from the vertical antenna,
and holds the arms in such a way that the the right hand can easily move to and from the vertical antenna
and the left hand up and down above the horizontal antenna. One need not touch or push anything to begin
to play and create sounds, [except for] the switch that activates the circuits; fantastic!
Ricard Franch

Advice and things to know before you start to study
What kind of theremin is best for learning [study]?
Actually we can find a great variety of models, [but] an essential characteristic is that the theremin
selected have two antennae, volume and pitch. The pitch antenna should have the greatest linearity
possible, which is to say that it has a uniform distance between the notes. I am personally familiar with the
Moog Music “Etherwave” and “Etherwave Pro,” which perfectly satisfy this requirement, but there are more
models of high quality on the market. Normally all the models are designed for right-handed players, but left-
handed musicians needn’t be concerned; by simply turning the theremin around, we can use it without any
problem.
How much space is required for the theremin to work properly?
The electromagnetic field of the theremin is very responsive to the space where it is located. The walls of a
house can affect its tuning; it is best to study in a large room where the walls are, at a minimum, some two
meters (give or take a bit) from the antennae, above all from the pitch antenna.
What kind of amplification is recommended?
Although we can use any sort of amplifier, the best is one with a frequency response as even as possible, and
without attenuation [i.e., “line level” input]; one for keyboard or voice is ideal. If you have one for guitar or
bass, you can use it, but these have very [unsatisfactory] frequency curves which distort the original sound of
the theremin, although whenever we approach this subject it [becomes] a matter of taste [preference].
How is the theremin tuned?
It is vital to properly tune the theremin before beginning to study. We calibrate it for each change of space,
including movements within the same house, because the size of the room or the space between the vertical
antenna and the walls affects the tuning. Furthermore, each person has a personal tuning according to his or
her physical characteristics and size of hand. Calibration is achieved with the “Pitch” potentiometer:
We must turn the “Pitch” potentiometer

to correctly tune our theremin.

The function of this potentiometer is to adjust the distance between the notes:
We must turn it until the distance between the first position (hand closed)*and the fourth (hand open)
is an interval of a fourth. In the example [shown] we have moved the notes together until the note Fa [F]
coincides with the “fourth” hand position, so that when we close the hand we will obtain the note Do [C]. This
way, we always work with the same distances, and the fingers will “memorize” the different openings for each
note. One must bear in mind that when we turn the potentiometer we move all the notes; which is to say that
the base note Do [C], for example, will be displaced, and we must move the arm with the hand in position 1 to
follow it, and each time verify that when the hand is opened to position 4, an interval of a fourth is created.
*The concept of [hand] position is covered in the chapter “Performance Techniques 2: The right hand”
The theremin in performances
The correct location on the stage and adequate monitoring is vital to nip a typical series of problems
in the bud. It is best to locate ourselves to the left of the stage (thereminist’s right), where the vertical
antenna is protected from the possible movements and approaches of the other musicians of the group--
above all those of the singers, who move most actively upon the stage.
In this case the singer will not affect the pitch antenna!
To monitor oneself during a performance, it is desirable to have a speaker on a stand in back of us at

the height of our ears. This is best to isolate our sound from that of the other instruments which accompany
us. This way, after a passage without playing, we can begin to search out the notes in pianissimo, which the
audience cannot hear, and produce them perfectly in tune upon further lifting the left hand. It is also
interesting to have a tuning indicator [chromatic tuner] connected to do the same visually; the Etherwave Pro
has a port especially for this function. Another detail to bear in mind is that the theremin is always sounding,
and this can be inconvenient when we momentarily move away from it. If our model has a “standby” function
we can mute it that way, but [for] simpler models of theremin [that] do not have that function we can use a
very simple trick which consists of laying the audio cable which runs from the theremin to the amplifier across
the horizontal antenna, and automatically it will be muted.
At the shoulder we have a speaker which helps us to

listen to ourselves and concentrate upon the pitch.
Tuning indicator [chromatic tuner] The cable upon the horizontal antenna
connected to the theremin to visualize stops the sounding of the theremin.
the notes, even when the instrument
does not sound through the speaker.

Advice for proper study
A certain amount of time is required to acquire a properly natural and relaxed position of the arm and
hand. One must avoid forced postures where the arm is tense or the fingers do not open naturally. The first
study sessions should be short, so that the arm and hand gradually acquire the [proper] posture, learn to
relax, and gain stamina. The technique of vibrato is best studied when one has sufficient sureness in tuning
and good hand posture; this technique will not be treated in this first book. It is also very important to do
muscle stretching and relaxation exercises, for the instrument is physically very demanding. This will be dealt
with in the latter volumes of this method [book]. For now, you can ask the advice of any physical therapist.
The exercises should be analyzed with respect to both rhythm and melody before carrying them out
with the instrument. They should be worked on very slowly and with much attention, first of all concentrating
upon the sound quality and the pitch, and then obtaining a good control of the rhythm. As we gain skill, we
work on the same exercises at greater speed with accompaniment and the metronome.
Learning the theremin, like any other instrument, requires continuous and measured work. It is far
more productive to to study half an hour every day with breaks, than eight solid hours only on weekends.
Always remember that in study, quality (to be methodical and rigorous) is more important than quantity (to
play a lot without method or rigor). One must be conscientious to become a good thereminist; it requires
many years of dedication and serious work, but the effort is worth it.
As will be said later, it is vital to be very rigorous with the fingerings of the exercises, so that one can
later apply this to the études and [musical] works. This will help us to gain more security in interpretation.
You can learn more about the instrument, exchange experiences, and resolve doubts on the
following Internet pages:
Introductory guide to the theremin
http://www.victorestrada.com/theremin
Theremin Hispano
http://www.thereminhispano.com

Performance Techniques 1
Basic concepts
We shall begin with some very basic concepts--how to stand at the theremin, the function of each
antenna, and how to use each arm.
Theremin seen from the perspective Thereminist seen from the perspective
of the performer. of the audience.
We use the vertical antenna on our right to produce On our left we have the horizontal
different pitches, according to how near or far from it antenna, with which the left hand
our right hand and arm are. controls the volume.

The right hand
The most important difference among the different schools of therminists, aside from some details
about the positions of the fingers and vibrato technique, is the way in which we approach the vertical antenna
with the right hand. To understand it better we will analyze the basic playing styles of three great
thereminists, each one representing a [particular] school, paying attention above all to the movement of the
right arm, the subject of this chapter. We shall refer to the techniques as the “Russian” School or “Kavina”
technique, the “American” School or “Kurstin” technique, and the “Canadian” School or “Pringle” technique.
Russian School or “Kavina” technique
For the lowest register [tessitura], the arm is pulled back and held against the body; it is then
extended little by little towards the vertical antenna to cover the rest of the range. A point comes at which one
must completely extend the arm to play the highest notes. In contrast to the other schools, this has eight
hand positions--nine counting the zero position--and the thumb is not used as a pitch limiter. Vibrato may be
by arm and/or wrist. This technique is perfectly described in Lydia Kavina’s DVD “Mastering the Theremin.”
American School or “Kurstin” technique
The arm is always kept relaxed and held against the body. One only moves the forearm in a
descending arc, by which means it approaches the antenna. At the level of the hand, one uses four
[positions] plus the zero position, and the thumb as a pitch limiter. Vibrato is [accomplished] only with the
arm. You can observe this technique in Pamelia Kurstin’s DVD “Beginning and Advanced Theremin
Techniques.”

Canadian School or “Pringle” technique
One always keeps the arm and forearm near the chest. By means of a special position of the feet,
one moves the entire body (and with it the arm and hand) comfortably [conveniently] towards and away from
the antenna, thus going throughout the range of the theremin in a completely linear manner. One uses four
hand positions plus the zero position, and a highly developed version of the thumb as a pitch limiter. Vibrato
is [accomplished] only with the wrist. This technique is perfectly described in Peter Pringle’s DVD “How to
Play the Theremin.”
The right leg is slightly advanced toward Flexing the right leg in a relaxed manner we
the vertical antenna. move the whole body toward the antenna.
There is actually no standardized performance method because there are very few world class
professional therminists, and those few have had to discover the methods that work best for their [particular]
interpretive styles. At this time the infrastructure necessary to form an adequate foundation for future
thereminsts is beginning to be developed, and therefore [we] contrast the different technical trends. Time will
tell which technique or techniques are most appropriate to the typical student, and will filter [out] those which
only work for a particular type of performer. At this time, you may choose one or another way of playing,
according to the criteria and experience you have acquired.

The left hand
We have previously pointed out that the left hand controls the volume, and that is one of the most
important characteristics of a note. It includes dynamics, attack and articulations, rests, melodic phrasing,
envelopes, etc. In this first book, we shall only work on the attack of and maintaining the sound, which help
us to separate the notes from one another, and to make them last as the score indicates. This will be
indispensable, for example, when one exactly repeats the same note consecutively. Without this attack, we
would hear a continuous sound without any type of separation among [the notes].
To produce this rhythm we must separate the notes, attacking them with the left hand.
Or it will sound like this!
There are various techniques for controlling the volume antenna; we shall begin with the two basic
methods, each with its specific function. First we will learn how to move the wrist, which is very agile, and
which we use to attack the notes.
We move the left hand towards the antenna until the theremin is just silenced, and leave it fixed in this
position. Then, with a sudden movement of the wrist, concentrating on the middle finger, we lift the hand
without moving the arm. This way, we obtain sudden increases in sound, that are the attacks of the notes.
Once finished with the note, we may relax the hand to silence the sound, or relax it and immediately give the
hand an [upward] impulse to attack the following note according to the score.
Here the hand prevents the theremin from Upon an [upward] impulse to the hand, the
sounding. theremin begins to sound. We do it with a
rapid impulse to give a good attack to the notes.

The other movement uses the entire arm, which controls the dynamics of the sound. This movement
is much more continuous than that of the wrist. The softest sound we call pianissimo, and it is when the hand
is very close to the antenna. By raising the arm, the volume of the theremin will continue to increase until it
reaches fortissimo, which will be the greatest volume we can elicit from the instrument.
At these times the volume of the theremin is And now a very strong volume,
very low, “pianissimo” “fortissimo”
For now we will use this movement to produce a medium volume, so that the theremin produces a
continuous legato sound, which is the way we will work through most of the exercises in this first volume, to
facilitate their performance. Actually, the scores will write it with a legato symbol, which is the way we play it,
but to simplify the lecture we will ignore this detail and take it as a given. We will only move the wrist when
we must play the same note twice in succession.
For now we will always play in continuous legato. The score is written thus:
So that we do not have to continuously represent these symbols, we shall write the music
without slurs:
In this case, it is essential to separate the notes by movement of the wrist:

To conclude this section, it remains to say that the behavior of the volume antenna can be calibrated
with the “Volume” potentiometer. With it we can so adjust [the instrument] that when we withdraw the hand
from the antenna, the reduction in volume varies from very quick to very gentle. According to the style or type
of work which we are performing, one form of sound or the other is better. Some models of theremin also
allow calibration of the height of the left hand at which sound begins to be produced.
We must turn the “Volume” potentiometer to

calibrate the response of the horizontal antenna.

Positions of the right hand
Right hand technique has been developing from the first players to now. In the early days of the
instrument, the player moved the hand and arm towards and away from the instrument together, greatly
limiting response. A little later the great thereminist Clara Reisenberg [Clara Rockmore] developed a
technique which she called “aerial fingering.” Since then new movements of this hand for the precise
control of notes have been described and adopted. With respect to the technique for this hand, we will now
work on the base posture [position] and the four [other] positions.
Base posture: This posture seeks to stabilize and relax the hand by lightly touching the ends of the
thumb and index finger; from here the [other] positions are developed.
Positions: These consist of different openings of the group of middle, ring, and small fingers. Each
opening equals a change of a half tone or a full tone [half or whole step; minor or major second]. In position
1 these fingers are held as shown; in position 4 they are completely opened, without being forced. The
intermediate openings are positions 2 and 3. For example, if position 1 is the note Do [C], position 2 is Re
[D], 3 is Mi [E] and 4 is Fa [F]. The exact opening of the hand will be relative to the note which we wish to
play, and we select and regulate the correct position by ear.
Position 1 Position 2
Position 3 Position 4

If we set them well, at each position to which we advance the fingers they will further approach the
vertical antenna, producing the order of notes below, and vice versa. The angle of the hand shown in the
photos is more a matter of demonstration than reality. One must bear in mind that according to the chosen
school one can change the turn of the wrist, even to the point that the oval created by the index finger and
thumb is completely horizontal.
In this sequence we can clearly see the different positions of the fingers and their gradual
advance toward the antenna. In the score we can see the note produced in each case.

Fingering and characteristics of theremin scores
Something very important when learning an exercise, étude or work, is the correct fingering for the
music; that is, which fingers we are going to use for each of the notes we are going to play, keeping in mind
the type of interpretation and means we wish to apply in each case. Normally there are numerous ways to
finger a score. Our experience, interpretive necessities, or technical level will lead us to follow one fingering
or another. In the case of the theremin we need only concentrate on the right hand, unlike instruments such
as the piano, guitar, harp, etc. Learning to finger correctly will give us sureness of execution with a form that
is logical, fluid, and without ostentation.
As we might suppose, developing a melody on the theremin is based upon the positions of the
fingers, displacement of the arm, and combinations of both techniques. All this can be perfectly represented
in the scores.
We will indicate the positions of the fingers with the numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4:
To indicate that the hand must be displaced, we will mark the new position with which we arrive at the
note with the symbol “-”, which is to say that this is the displacement from which we are going to reach the
following positions: -1, -2, -3, or -4. From here on, since the [position of the] hand is fixed, the subsequent
numerals are the normal 1, 2, 3, or 4:
For chromatics, the markings will be thus: #1, #2, #3, #4, b1, b2, b3, or b4. We will also encounter
the symbol “-” in cases of displacement:
When we use the thumb as a finger [motion] limiter, it will be indicated in the score by the following
combinations of letters: “mp” for the union of the middle finger with the thumb; “ap” for the ring finger with the
thumb,* and “qp” for the junction of the thumb with both the little finger and the ring finger. The symbol “-”
may also appear when we displace these fingerings. This type of fingering will be dealt with extensively later
on:
*Translator’s note: In Spanish “ring” [finger] is [dedo] “anular;” “thumb” is “pulgar;” thus “ap” for “anular-
pulgar,” “ring-thumb,” and so forth.

Given the great range of the theremin, we will use the treble clef as well as the bass clef,
following [the] convention:
And for all types of articulation, phrasing or regulation of sound, the symbols to which we are
accustomed with other instruments will be used:

Lesson 1
Beginning exercises for the right arm and hand
The first thing we must learn is to stabilize the sound and produce steady notes. We place the hand
in the first position and work with any note (distance from the vertical antenna). We attempt to obtain a
steady, clear and accurate intonation. Once this is achieved, we can try different notes (distances from the
vertical antenna), including glissandos, to understand the range [tessitura] of the instrument with the arm
technique which we have chosen from among the three most important variations.
Having once achieved a good sound, we concentrate upon tuning it to a particular note with the
following exercise. With the theremin vibrato is normally applied to long notes, but for now it is not convenient
to work on this technique. You may repeat [loop] the exercise indefinitely, and in this way have time to seek
the note, tune and stabilize it. With this accompaniment we can attempt to give musicality to a simple note:
Exercise 1
Translator’s note: the exercises are available as MIDI files and can be downloaded from
http://web.mac.com/estudioserin/theremin/¿Cómo_aprender_a_tocarlo_files/Midis.zip
Here you have two more exercises in the same style; you can create others to fix [solidify] the technique.
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

Lesson 2
Exercises for the left hand
Now we must work with the left hand, as mentioned in the section “Performance Techniques 3.” With
this we will now execute rests, attacks and completions of notes. Rests are achieved by simply bringing the
left hand close enough to the horizontal antenna to silence the theremin. Rests must be applied precisely at
the moment given in the score (in this example during beats 3 and 4 of the bar), and the hand raised again to
sound the [half] note during beats 1 and 2 [of the following measure]:
Exercise 4
Here we have a similar exercise with half-note rests; we use the same accompaniment in this and
the following examples:
Exercise 5
In the following examples we are going to learn, after the “continuous legato” of the theremin, certain
rhythmic formulae. To achieve this, we must attack at the beginning of each note and in this way separate
them from one another. We do this, as we have seen in “Performance Techniques 3,” using the wrist to give a
small upward impulse to the left hand (increasing volume) for each note, always returning (decreasing
volume) an instant after each attack. In this way we will produce a half-note rhythm in the following exercise:
Exercise 6

Our sense of rhythm will tell us when we need to raise our hand. You can practice with these
rhythmic formulae. The accompaniment is the same as before and, again, you can make up all the variations
that occur to you.
Exercise 7
In this [exercise], furthermore, we have rests.
Exercise 8

Lesson 3
Movement of the right arm
This time we are going to work on a more ordered way of approaching or retreating from the vertical
antenna by displacements [movements] of the right arm or the body, according to the chosen technique. We
will carry out the entire exercise in the 1st position. The exercise consists of displacements at intervals of
seconds, thus developing a scale of C Major, ascending and later descending. Each displacement will equal
a change of a half or whole step according to the interval. Initially we will resort to the glissando to find and
tune the notes, and little by little we will improve the displacements, making clean and direct movements.
Exercise 9

Here we have some variants of the same exercise (you should do it with the same accompaniment as
before) in which we also work with the left hand.
Exercise 10
Exercise 11

Lesson 4
We shall first work on changes of position. Before studying this exercise we must achieve a clear
sound and accurate intonation, moving directly from one position to another with [minimum] glissando
between the notes. In the exercise the position is changed from the first to the second and we return to the
first. This will facilitate our retrograde displacement of the arm or body to seek the following note, which we
have worked on in lesson 3. It is very important to work [through] all the exercises very slowly to fix upon the
quality and tuning of the sound. We mentally sing the notes to be conscious of how we must make the
theremin sound. As sureness is gained we will increase the speed. First we will study the most basic
exercise numerous times in order to acquire the technique and work with more concentration; later we will
apply what we have learned in the following exercises.
Exercise 12 (Preparatory exercise)
Exercise 13

We continue with the changes between first and second positions. This time we will work on other
rhythmic formulae that will complicate the displacements.
Exercise 14
Exercise 15

Lesson 5
Now we turn to changes between the first and third positions. This time each change will be an
interval of a major or a minor third. Here I give the same advice as in lesson 4 about previous work on direct
movements without glissandos.
Exercise 17

Other exercises to work on positions 1 and 3, and to gain agility in displacements:
Exercise 18
Exercise 19

Lesson 6
Combination of changes between positions 1 and 2, 1 and 3
With the following exercises, we combine what has been learned up to now about changes between
positions 1 and 2 as well as 1 and 3. We shall warm up with the preliminary exercise and later work on the
more complicated versions.
Exercise 21

Exercise 22
Exercise 23

Lesson 7
Sequential changes of positions 1, 2, and 3
We are going to start working on more than two sequential changes of position. This time we will
proceed from the first to the second position, from there to the third, and thereafter return to the first to
[improve, ease] displacement of the arm. As always, we shall prepare with the preliminary exercise in which
we will work [on] variations of the openings of the three positions, as we need to go through intervals of half
or whole notes.
Exercise 25

Here we have a series of exercises to reinforce what has been covered before and to work on different
rhythmic formulae.
Exercise 26

Exercise 27

Exercise 28

Lesson 8
Displacements in intervals of seconds and changes of positions 1, 2, and 3
The combination of displacements and positions allows us to go through the range of the theremin in
a controlled manner. We can make displacements from any of the four positions. It is advisable not to
make more than one subsequent displacement with the same position in order not to lose control of the notes.
The ideal is always to combine displacements and changes of position. For now we will only work on
ascending displacements in seconds, adding the changes of position previously practiced.
Exercise 29
The following exercise is identical to the one before. We shall simply use it to learn to make
displacements from the second and third positions. The accompaniment is the same.
Exercise 30

In order to make still longer runs, one must make various combinations of displacements and
positions. These exercises will aid us in developing this skill.
Exercise 31
The previous exercise may be fingered in various ways. We will use it to work on the other options.
Exercise 32

We can advance yet one note more with the displacements and just the three positions studied up to now.
For longer runs one must apply techniques which we will learn in the following volumes.
Exercise 33
All the exercises worked on in this section may be studied with diverse rhythmic combinations.

Lesson 9
Introduction to fingerings with the thumb as tone limiter
Apart from the four positions which we have presented, and the first three of which we have worked
on, we have a way to conveniently assure ourselves of a more direct and controlled descent of tone in half
and whole steps, thanks to the intervention of the thumb. This will be a great help to us at the general level,
but above all in the rapid or staccato passages, because it will give greater agility of execution. We will
explain the different possibilities.
From a start in the third position with an interval of a major third, we can go down a full step (the equivalent of
the second position) by touching the ring finger and thumb “ap”:
Third position forming a major third. We go down a step with the “ap”
(ring finger/thumb) position.
If the beginning in the third position has created an interval of a minor third, it will be very easy for us
to go down a half step by joining the middle finger and the thumb “mp”:
Third position forming a minor third. We go down a half step with the
“mp” (middle finger/thumb) position.
From the position of the minor third (left photo above), we can descend a full step with the ring/thumb
combination “ap,” in this way quickly obtaining a minor second.

From a start in the second position with an interval of a major second, we can descend half a step by
joining the ring finger and thumb:
Second position forming a major We go down a half step with the

second. “ap” (ring finger/thumb) position.
There is one last fingering which we will utilize in special cases. For example, beginning in the
second position with an interval of a major second, after using the “ap” fingering to descend a half step, we
can go down another half step by changing to the “qp” fingering. This is actually the same as the first
position, but in this case it is more convenient to go down half a tone with the “qp” fingering. The combination
of the “ap” and “qp” fingerings can also be very effective when we must go up or down a half step in a rapid
and exact way:
“ap” (ring/thumb) position. We go down a half step with the

“qp”(pinky/ring/thumb) position.

We can practice these types of fingerings with the following exercises, in which the each one of the three
options will be clearly indicated. Each example is worth studying numerous times to calibrate and acquire the exact
opening of the fingers.
Exercise 34 (for intervals of a major third)
Exercise 35 (for intervals of a minor third, case 1)
Exercise 36 (for intervals of a minor third, case 2)
Exercise 37 (for intervals of a major second)

Lesson 10
Progressions using thumb fingerings
In these exercises we are going to apply the thumb fingerings. We must be exactly aware of whether
the interval with which we are working in each case is major or minor (in its two variants). This will later help
us know how to apply this type of fingering in compositions.
Exercise 38

Exercise 39
Exercise 40
In this exercise we will use the previous accompaniment.

Other methods on DVD and in print
It is important when studying any instrument to have the maximum of information and resources. Here you
have the list of methods on DVD and in books that have been published up to now. I indicate where you can
acquire them:
Methods on DVD
How to play the theremin

Peter Pringle
http://www.peterpringle.com
Beginning and Advanced Theremin Techniques

Pamelia Kurstin
Mastering the Theremin

Lydia Kavina
Clara Rockmore: World’s Greatest Theremin Virtuosa

Clara Rockmore
http://www.moogmusic.com

Print methods
The Art of Playing the Theremin To Play The Theremin

Carolina Eyck Masami Takeuchi
http://servi.de/IShop/index.html http://www.amazon.co.jp
Method for Theremin Method for Theremin

Clara Rockmore Robert B. Sexton
http://electrotheremin.com/ http://www.moogmusic.com
claramethod.html

Recommended Recordings
As part of becoming a thereminist, it is indispensable to see and hear professional thereminists, and if it its
done live so much the better. Here you have a list of recommended recordings which includes many of the
pioneering thereminists as well as the most important performers. Among them we encounter a great variety
of musical styles. Links to places you can obtain these CD’s are included.
Clara Rockmore
From this mythic artist we have her famous and essential work, “The Art of the Theremin,” and the work
“Theremin Concerto” included on the classical music CD “Ionisation.”
http://www.amazon.com
Samuel Hoffman
From this no less mythic thereminist, we can find the three-CD compilation “Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman and
the Theremin,” gathering together original works for jazz orchestra and theremin as well as sound crew of
the famous movie “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”
Peter Pringle
This exquisite interpreter has issued two CD’s: “Many Voices” and “A Theremin Jewel Box,” full of
pleasing themes of great lyricism and good musical taste.
http://www.peterpringle.com

Lydia Kavina
Without doubt the most important performing thereminist, and the one with the greatest discography. For one,
we have her work “Music from the Ether” with original works for theremin and some of the first classical
works composed specially for this instrument. In “Concerto per Theremin” we have an entertaining recital
of very popular classical works adapted to the theremin. On the CD “Black Black Magic” of Messer Chups
we discover a stylistically unfamiliar Kavina. She has also participated in various sound casts, of which the
best are those for “The Machinist,” “Ed Wood,” and “eXistenZ.”
http://www.messerchups.ru
http://www.cdbaby.com
Pamelia Kurstin
These two works are radically different from one another, but you will always recognize the unmistakable style
of Kurstin. With the group The Kurstins she recorded “Gymnopedie,” and with Barbez “Insignificance.”
http://www.pameliakurstin.com
http://www.barbez.com

Barbara Buchholz
Student of Lydia Kavina. In her work “Theremin: Russia With Love,” she uses the theremin in a very
elegant melodic and atmospheric manner.
http://www.barbarabuchholz.com
Robbie Virus
One of the most pleasant and entertaining discs for theremin: “Magical Moods of the Theremin” with the
group Project: Pimento.
http://www.projectpimento.com
Masami Takeuchi
Outstanding student of Lydia Kavina, great virtuoso and teacher of the instrument. In his CD “Time Slips
Away” we encounter a great variety of themes played with exquisite technique.
http://www.amazon.co.jp

Credits
Photographs and front page design
Marc Xicola
http://www.marcxicola.com
Concert photos
Jordi Ponce
jordiponce82@hotmail.com
Chapters:
“History of the theremin” and “How does a theremin work?”
Ricard Franch
Editing
Ma Luisa Corro
Version 2.0 March 2006, English translation February 2008

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Progressive Exercises

Progressive Exercises for Theremin

English Translation by Alan D Barbour

2 © 2008 Progressive Exercises for Theremin, Vol. 1 (version 2, English)

Introduction and Acknowledgments 4

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How does a theremin work?

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What kind of theremin is best for learning [study]?

How much space is required for the theremin to work properly?

What kind of amplification is recommended?

How is the theremin tuned?

We must turn the “Pitch” potentiometer

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The theremin in performances

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At the shoulder we have a speaker which helps us to

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Introductory guide to the theremin

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Russian School or “Kavina” technique

American School or “Kurstin” technique

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Or it will sound like this!

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In this case, it is essential to separate the notes by movement of the wrist:

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We must turn the “Volume” potentiometer to

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In this [exercise], furthermore, we have rests.

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Exercise 12 (Preparatory exercise)

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Exercise 16 (Preparatory exercise)

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Exercise 20 (Preparatory exercise)

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Exercise 24 (Preparatory exercise)

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Second position forming a major We go down a half step with the

“ap” (ring/thumb) position. We go down a half step with the